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Abstract
Dormancy-associated MADS-box (DAM) genes serve as crucial regulators of the endodormancy cycle in rosaceous plants. Although pear DAM genes have been identified previously, the lack of a high-quality reference genome and techniques to study gene function have prevented accurate genome-wide analysis and functional verification of such genes. Additionally, the contribution of other genes to the regulation of endodormancy release remains poorly understood. In this study, a high-quality genome assembly for 'Cuiguan' pear (Pyrus pyrifolia), which is a leading cultivar with a low chilling requirement cultivated in China, was constructed using PacBio and Hi-C technologies. Using this genome sequence, we revealed that pear DAM genes were tandemly clustered on Chr8 and Chr15 and were differentially expressed in the buds between 'Cuiguan' and the high-chilling-requirement cultivar 'Suli' during the dormancy cycle. Using a virus-induced gene silencing system, we determined the repressive effects of DAM genes on bud break. Several novel genes potentially involved in the regulation of endodormancy release were identified by RNA sequencing and H3K4me3 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing analyses of 'Suli' buds during artificial chilling using the new reference genome. Our findings enrich the knowledge of the regulatory mechanism underlying endodormancy release and chilling requirements and provide a foundation for the practical regulation of dormancy release in fruit trees as an adaptation to climate change.
Highlights
Bud endodormancy is a complex biological process necessary for the survival and development of perennial plants
De novo assembly of the 'Cuiguan' pear genome sequence We assembled the P. pyrifolia 'Cuiguan' pear genome based on Illumina short reads, PacBio subreads, and Hi-C data using a hierarchical method
Compared with the 'Suli' pear (P. bretschneideri) genome sequence released by Wu et al.[23], the 'Cuiguan' pear (P. pyrifolia) genome sequence constructed in this study had a higher contig N50 value
Summary
Bud endodormancy is a complex biological process necessary for the survival and development of perennial plants. Buds undergo substantial internal changes, but there are no visible morphological changes[1,2]. Endodormancy release requires long-term exposure to cold, and the amount of cold needed to resume normal growth in the spring following the winter period is commonly referred to as the chilling requirement (CR). Insufficient chilling accumulation causes physiological disorders with adverse effects on bud sprouting, flowering, and fruit production. Global warming has resulted in insufficient winter chilling accumulation, leading to an unsatisfactory CR of some commercially grown deciduous fruit tree species in specific regions[3,4]. Elucidating the mechanism controlling the dormancy cycle may help researchers address the problems caused by climate change
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